SOME OF THE GAMES WERE JUST GLORIFIED PRACTICE GAMES, BUT SOME DEFINITELY WERE NOT, AND DESPITE THE JUNE GLOOM, IT WAS A FUN DAY.
10 AM WAS DUNDAS 1 VS MOKAROW RANCH, THE LATTER HAVING A CHANCE TO GET TO THE SEMIS IF THEY WON. AND THEY DID JUST THAT. WITH DUNDAS 1 ALREADY OUT, MOKAROW WENT TO 2 AND 2 AND HEADS TO A SHOOT OUT.
12 NOON AT ESTRELLA WAS FOLDED HILLS/FMB TAKING ON DUNDAS 2. NO MATER WHAT HAPPENED THEY WERE BOTH IN THE SEMIS, SO THE WIN WAS ONLY FOR EXTRA PRIDE, WHICH FH/FM TOOK BY A COUPLE GOALS. BOTH HEAD TO THE SEMIS.
12 NOON AT THE POLO CLUB WAS KLENTNER RANCH VS FARMERS & MERCHANTS (MINUS DAN WALKER, WITH YOUNG BAYNE BOSSOM FILLING IN). KLENTER NEEDED A WIN TO GET TO THE SHOOT OUT AND THEY GOT IT. I ONLY SAW THE 6TH CHUKKAR, AND IF I AM NOT BLIND, THEY GAVE IT TO K.R., ENDING AT 0 AND 4, AND MOVING K.R. TO THE SHOOT OUT. A RESULT WHICH MADE THE NEXT GAME EXTRA IMPORTANT.
GAME 4 AT 4 PM STILL SAW NO SUN, AS ANTLOPE TOOK ON LOS PADRES/CITI, A GAME IN WHICH THE LOSER GOES TO THE SHOOT OUT AND THE WINNER HEADS DIRECTLY TO THE SEMIS. IT WAS A WAR AND VERY FUN TO WATCH, OPENING FAST AND HARD. L.P/C JUMPED OUT TO A QUICK 2 GOAL LEAD, BUT ANTELOPE LED BY GRANT PALMER ROARED BACK AND TIED IT BEFORE THE FIRST CHUKKAR BELL. IN THE SECOND, ANTELOPE TOOK A 3 GOAL LEAD, BUT LP/C CAME BACK SLIGHTLY AND PUT THEM WITHIN 2, MAKING IT 9- 7. THE 4TH WAS JUST GOALS ON GOALS, THE FIRST 4 OF WHICH WERE MADE IN LESS THAN 4 MINUTES, AS THE ROYALS SHOT OFF AND TOOK THE LEAD 9 TO 7. I THOUGHT AGE HAD GOT TO SANTI AND IT WAS OVER, BUT HE LED THE CHARGE IN THE 5TH AS WELL AND THE ANTELOPE SQUAD CAME BACK TO SCORE 3 UNANSWERED GOALS, TAKING BACK THE LEAD OF 10 TO 9. THE 6TH WAS WILD. THE ROYALS TIED IT BACK, BUT ANTELOPE CAME THROUGH AGAIN AND TOOK A 1 GOAL LEAD. AND AT A THROW IN, JIM WRIGHT SMASHED A 130 YARD BOMB TO MAKE IT 2 UP FOR ANTELOPE WITH ONLY 2:22 LEFT ON THE CLOCK. BUT HERE CAME KEKO, SCORING AND GETTING THEM WITHIN 1, AND MAKING A BIG DRIVE TO TIE IT. THOUGH IT CAME TO AN END WITH 4 SECONDS LEFT, AS THE ROYALS FOULED. ANTELOPE HEADS TO THE SEMI FINALS AND LP/C TO THE SHOOTOUT.
SO WITH DUNDAS 2, FH/FMB, AND ANTELOPE IN THE SEMIS, THE LAST SPOT WENT TO THE WINNER OF THE SHOOT OUT BETWEEN MOKAROW FARMS, KLENTNER RANCH, AND LOS PADRES/CITI. AND IT ENDED QUICK, AS KEKEO MAGRINI SENT THE ROYALS TO THE SEMIS. THATS THE WAY IT IS AND THE SUN CAME OUT FOR THE SHOOTOUT ABOUT 6 PM.
Dundas 1 took on Folded hills/FMB, and we got a new bullet out of it, that I now deem “the Ghost,” A.K.A. Will Busch. He is big, strong, and seldom seen except at the goal. He is hard to find, but he scored 9 goals and at only 2 goals himself. He is very hard to keep track of on the field, but there is no doubt he is going to goal and most often through it. One week it’s Henry Walker blasting holes, the next it’s Will burning whoever is there. Dundas came out strong, but now goes to 0 and 3, and Folded Hills /FMB 2 go through to semis at 3 and 0.
GAME 2 AT HIGH NOON
DUNDAS 2 VS LOS PADRES/CITI
With TWO TEAMS WITH NO LOSSES and the return of Royalty, both Dundas 2 and Los Padres/Citi came out rockin and really running. Dundas was winning by 2 going into the 2nd, but here came the Royals who tied it up. Harry was doing his job and the Face of Polo, Nacho, kept it rolling to tie it up again at 1/2 time and at the end of the 5th. A wild 6th chukkar saw lots of goals, but Cable Magness carried the 6th and backing him up was South Carolina, a hard hitting SVW and a flying Fastetta, who won by 4 .
GAME 3 AT 2 PM
MOKAROW RANCH VS FMB
Mokarow Farme came out fired up, knowing they needed a win, and got it done with the hard riding Canadian Stenzels Brothers carrying the load. They soon got the run going and pulled away to stop FMB in their tracks, going to 1 and 2 and a good chance to make the semis. FMB joins D1 into the subsidiary at 0 and 3 .
GAME 4 AT 4 PM
ANTELOPE VS KLENTNER RANCH
Antelope came out strong and took an early lead, but were no match for the bruise brothers, as KR went into the 1/2 up by 4. But Grant Palmer and a speed ball named Santi Liavalol came out for the hunt in the second half, and Antelope galloped away for a nice win, and a chance to head to the Semis at 2 & 1. They have a good shot to get back to the top. J. Wright is making this team operate it seems.
Things will get nasty this Sunday, as it is a showdown with 8 teams. 4 make it, 2 are out, 2 are in, and 4 have a chance so be there ..
Game 1 was at the club, and I did not get to see it but it was very close, as the Walkers fought it out with Will Bush and Henry Walker coming out on top by 1. They will head to the semis with to 2 and 0. I was told FMB played well and DW’s sub Blaine Bossom had a very good performance along with Young Ryan Kerley. They stand at 0 and 2 .
Game 2 was at Cancha, and though we were missing the Royalty, it was a very loud, physical, and close game. Dale Fargy, subbing for Harry, played well in his place. Dundas came back from 3 early on, and got back in the game again in the 5th– tying the score 10 to 10. But they couldn’t stop Nacho and his bullets in the end, who after being beaten by Dundas twice already, had better luck the 3rd time around. They go to 2 and 0 and Dundas 1 falls back to 0 and 2.
Game 3 was also at Cancha, and it had a pair of winners both 1 and 0. It was Dundas 2 vs. Klentner Ranch, and it was a pretty good battle: the speed and power of KR vs the finesse of Dundas. The game went one way for a while, then back. It was a solid fast game, though had lots of fouls. They went into the 6th 11 to 11, but Cable Magness won the last chukkar 3 to 2, sending them to 2 and 0, and knocking KR back to 1 and 1.
Game 4 had Antelope taking on Mokarow Ranch, and I only watched 1 chukkar. It was 3 to 1 when I left, but I heard it got ugly as it went on, and again another helmet issue with the new super Helmets that are mandatory by USPA. They might need to get someone to look at this. They are not doing what they say they are, and yesterday one came off again during a fall. Anyway, Antelope went off to double up and go to 1 and 1, as Mokarow joins the 0 and 2 group.
I AM NOT SURE WE ARE GETTING THE REAL INFO FROM USPA. READ THIS EMAIL–FROM PEOPLE IN THE KNOW.
FW: Following up on our helmet discussion. I think this matter needs to be brought to the attention of our USPA circuit governors as well as the trustees of this club.
Inbox
Leigh Brecheen
Sun, Jun 5, 10:42 PM (20 hours ago)
to me
From: Leigh Brecheen Sent: Sunday, June 5, 2022 10:42 PM To: gpalmer@ghpalmer.com (gpalmer@ghpalmer.com) <gpalmer@ghpalmer.com>; Chuck Lande <clande@chadmar.com> Cc: Anant Pandadiya, Asst. to Leigh Brecheen <leigh.asst@bfbst.com> Subject: Following up on our helmet discussion. I think this matter needs to be brought to the attention of our USPA circuit governors as well as the trustees of this club.
In the interest of time, I have just pasted some of my Facebook posts to illustrate what my limited research has turned up about the safety of the NOCSAE helmets, in particular the Casablanca, as well that the steps take to choose the standard and the inaction of the USPA to all the bad news, up to and including denial of knowledge of concussions sustained in the NOCSAE helmets. BTW, in the 4PM 12 Goal game today, Adam Ransom got into an accident and his Casablanca went flying off. As far as I know he didn’t hit his head but he did break his wrist.
My view is that the USPA needs to immediately commission a study from the Swedish group that did the studies for the Folksam insurance company to compare the NOCSAE helmets against other helmets in general and the ARAMIS with MIPS in particular. I also think they would be well advised to immediately notify all players that the Casablanca is not safe to play in due to the buckle. My bigger issue is that the standard they mandated does not include any of the concussion mitigation technology. They will be very lucky if they escape only having to replace all the USPA member’s helmets rather than a huge lawsuit..
Athena Malin also reached out and said “…I had the worst head injury in the new Casablanca helmet and had a terrible concussion, and it wasn’t the worst fall I’ve had….I was knocked out and then then went to the hospital. I’ve heard of many other people having bad head injuries too….The USPA was well aware of this…I asked them to help me and make a note of it…”
In the comments to Elizabeth’s comment, Elizabeth Cunningham noted that she had sustained a concussion in one of these helmets..
James Glew reports that he also sustained one and that “When I rang the USPA to report my injury/complain about the quality of the Casablanca helmets they basically told me it was not something they were interested in and any complaints / concerns should be directed to the helmet manufacturer”.
The USPA should make filling out this survey mandatory for the management of USPA clubs. Everyone should be clear that the Virginia Tech Study that the USPA used as a basis for choosing the NOCSEA standard specifically says that it does NOT address concussion protection and encourages Phase 2 and 3 studies to examine what kind of helmet standard would best protect the brain. While they recommend the NOCSEA standard, they also explicitly state that the new helmets should also meet other equestrian helmet standards.
Why was the prevention of concussions not a consideration before the adoption of the new standard? Most of the top equestrian helmet manufacturers these days have incorporated technology that is designed to prevent concussions such as MIPS.
At the bottom I have pasted some info about other technology that various helmet manufacturers have incorporated in their helmets. This is from the Charles Owen website. Although I have always worn and taken some hits in the prior Charles Owen polo helmets with no ill effects, despite being knocked out, I didn’t choose its NOCSEA helmet because it is very uncomfortable and DOES NOT meet all the other standards that all the other Charles Owen Equestrian helmets are manufactured to and does not include MIPS. “Charles Owen harnesses MIPS technology. MIPS is a Brain Protection System that aims to combat rotational motion that can cause brain injuries. A low friction layer allows a sliding movement of 10-15mm, in all directions, reducing rotational motion to the brain during impact. “As part of the European-funded Horizon 2020 research project, we have been studying jockey falls onto grass and sand surfaces. It was evident that standard helmet technology is not reducing brain injury in falls at speed. MIPS is part of a new generation of protection and we can now see how it will benefit many riders who are looking to reduce the less catastrophic brain injuries. We are excited to be able to bring this technology in an affordable helmet for every rider.” – Roy Burek”
Second Post[Friends] Polo Friends- More on helmets and the USPA choice of the NOCSAE standard and the failure to include ( or even study) anti concussion technology and measures. All the latest data shows that rotational forces are the primary cause of concussions and the type of force most likely to be experience in a fall from a horse.
In 2021 The Swedish insurance company Folksam independently tested 15 riding helmets for children and adults available on the Swedish market and the test shows that only three out of fifteen helmets obtained the Folksam best in test or good choice label. “One out of nine who sustained a concussion must deal with permanent medical impairments . Given these numbers it is very regrettable that so few helmets actually protect the riders against concussions. The manufacturers of equestrian helmets should take a larger responsibility in improving the protection.”, says Helena Stigson PhD and Associate Professor at the Folksam research team…..The test shows that there is significant differences between the helmets and the risk of sustaining a concussion is two to five times higher if one of the lowest scoring helmets are used compared to the best one.- “We can tell by the test that there is great potential for improvement to make the helmets safer. The two top scoring helmets were equipped with rotational motion protection system (MIPS), but all equestrian helmets needs to be better at reducing rotational forces to avoid concussions or even more serious brain damage”, says Stigson..The major difference between a good and a poor helmet is how well it protects the head during oblique impact. Today there are no legal requirements on the equestrian helmet manufacturers to prevent rotational forces. Only vertical impacts are tested to show how well the helmets can prevent skull fractures. This is in spite of a lot of research showing that rotational forces create brain damages. In the Folksam test the helmets are subjected to impacts at an angle, which closer simulate the actual forces during an accident compared to the vertical tests performed required by current legislation…The two top scoring helmets were equipped with rotational motion protection system (MIPS), but all equestrian helmets needs to be better at reducing rotational forces to avoid concussions or even more serious brain damage”, says Stigson.
Possibly Third Post [Friends]More on concussions and helmets in equestrian accidents. This is from an interview with the head of innovation at Charles Owen and the head of Product Development at MIPS on the US Equestrian website. “What makes Mips technology so important to equestrian safety? In scenarios where the rider is injured in a fall from a horse, the most frequent are oblique angle falls (falling at an angle). It is known that angular acceleration is the dominating cause of brain injuries. The Mips safety system and other technologies are engineered to act in a way to reduce the angular forces and therefore help reduce the risk of brain injury. MARCUS SEYFFARTH – HEAD OF PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT, MIPS What is Mips technology? How does it work? The Mips system is designed to provide added safety for helmets. For certain impacts, the Mips system can reduce harmful rotational forces that might otherwise be transferred to the head. Rotational motion is the most common cause for concussions and more severe brain injury in oblique hits to the head. The Mips system consists of a low-friction layer that is mounted in the helmet. In a crash, the low-friction layer is designed to move slightly inside the helmet in order to help redirect rotational forces away from the head. Why should an equestrian want Mips technology in their helmet? When falling and hitting your head, you will most likely have an oblique impact, which can create rotational motion to the head. The Mips system is designed to help reduce rotational motion in certain impacts. In your view, how does the Folksam study illustrate the value that Mips technology brings to an equestrian helmet? Thanks to tests like the one Folksam is doing, even more people can learn about the crucial importance of adding protection against rotational motion in your helmet. As we can see, rotational motion is a common cause for concussions and more severe brain injury in oblique hits to the head. …………………………
Fourth Post ( or possibly as a comment to someone else’s. (Reuters Health) – Youth ice hockey players who wear mouthguards to protect their teeth and jaws may also have significantly lower odds of concussion, a Canadian study suggests.
Concussions are the most common injury in youth ice hockey, and while Hockey Canada has a policy requiring mouthguard use, it’s not universally enforced, said senior study author Brent Hagel. The new evidence that mouthguards may reduce concussion risk adds to the case for making them mandatory, Hagel and his colleagues write in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.
“When we looked at both off-the-shelf and custom-fit mouthguards together in the analysis, we found their use lowered the odds of concussion by 64%,” said Hagel, a child injury researcher with the Cumming School of Medicine and Sport Injury Prevention Research Center at the University of Calgary.
Previous research has suggested that mouthguard use was associated with fewer concussions, but the findings have been inconsistent, the study team writes.
To explore this question, the researchers analyzed data from two injury surveillance studies in 2011-20212 and 2013-2016 that included child and youth players in Pee Wee (11-12 year-olds), Bantam (13-14 year-olds) and Midget (15-17 year-olds) divisions.
The researchers compared a total of 315 cases of concussion to 270 cases of non-concussion injuries, such as injuries to the trunk or a limb, to see if mouthguard use was tied to concussion risk
Overall, 236 of the concussion cases (75%) were wearing a mouthguard when they were injured, as were 224 of the comparison group (83%). For youth wearing a mouthguard, the risk of concussion was almost two-thirds lower, the study found.
When researchers looked to see if the type of mouthguard made any difference, they found that off-the-shelf versions were tied to a 69% reduction in concussion risk compared with no mouthguard. Custom-fit mouthguards made by a dentist were linked to a 49% risk reduction – although that result was not statistically significant, meaning it could have been due to chance.
Three studies that make it clear that rotational impact is an essential part of helmet safety analysis. We need to demand that the USPA conduct further testing of the NOCSAE helmets it is requiring USPA members to buy and wear, particularly given the number of serious concussions that seem to be occurring in them. 1) Impact Performance Comparison of Advanced Snow Sport Helmets with Dedicated Rotation-Damping Systems Gina DiGiacomo, Stanley Tsai & Michael Bottlang 2) New Assessment of Bicycle Helmets: The Brain Injury Mitigation Effects of New Technologies in Oblique Impacts Annals of Biomedical Engineering volume 49, pages2805-2813 (2021) Ann Biomed Eng. 2021; 49(10): 2716-2733. Published online 2021 May 10. doi: 10.1007/s10439-021-02785-0 PMCID: PMC8109224 PMID: 33973128 Fady Abayazid,corresponding author1 Ke Ding,1 Karl Zimmerman,1,2 Helena Stigson,3,4,5 and Mazdak Ghajari1 “The results of this study show that in comparison with the conventional helmets, the helmets fitted with MIPS, WaveCel, SPIN and Hövding can reduce peak rotational acceleration and velocity, BrIC, overall brain strain and strain in corpus callosum and sulci.” 3) Impact Performance Comparison of Advanced Bicycle Helmets with Dedicated Rotation-Damping Systems Michael Bottlang,corresponding author Alexandra Rouhier, Stanley Tsai, Jordan Gregoire, and Steven M. Madey. Ann Biomed Eng. 2020; 48(1): 68-78. Published online 2019 Jul 24. doi: 10.1007/s10439-019-02328-8 PMCID: PMC6928098. “The MIPS and SPIN helmets provided considerable improvements in absorption of rotational kinematics and associated concussion risk compared to control helmets. These highly encouraging results emphasize the need to advance traditional helmet designs towards effective rotation-damping systems that hold a considerable potential for brain injury prevention.” [cid:image003.png@01D8792D.8B177850]
The show gets started at High Noon at the SB Polo fields. It is a family affair: Walker Vs Walker, with a couple of young guns on each. Hard riding Ryan Kerley with Danny W., and a big name, Will Busch, from a long time playing family with Henry W. DW is 0-1 and HW/FH is 1- 0
Same time, same set up at Cancha de, it is Dundas 1 at 0-1 taking on the Harry-less team, as he is away at the Jubilee. Los Padres still won on Friday in OT so they are 1 and 0, and they do have some bullets, including probably the most underrated player here, Juan Guerrero, the nephew to Hector Guerrero, a solid 8 goaler. Juan always seems to know where he needs to be, even at 16 yrs old, and in the middle with hard hitting Keko Magrini, also 16 years old and easy to spot with his white breast collars. They’re backed up by the face of Polo Nacho and Harry’s sub, Canada’s Dayle Fargy, one of, if not the, top Lady Player in Canada.
Game 3 at 2 pm at Cancha will see Dundas 2, at 1 – 0, taking on Klentner Ranch, also 1-0, and the winner should go through to the semis. The Ranch Hands are a family affair: 3 Klentners with hard hitting Jessie Bray. But Dundas 2 has some speed and big time plays from Dundas Captain Cable Magness, along with some speed behind him in Fastetta and Santi VW, and a new Bullet out of SC, Wesley Bryan
The Main show is bound to be good as two of the Top teams are here at unexpected standings: both 0 and 1! Antelope and Dallas’ Mokarrow Ranch. It maybe a very good game, as neither wants a double 0 going to Dinner tonight. Might even see the Sun today so come c us at the WEST COAST POLO CENTER. Cancha is at 200 Lambert rd Carpinteria if lost.
ROUND ONE WAS ALL DONE ON AN ENGLISH DAY MISTY RAIN AND COOL AND HARRY WAS NOT HERE HE WAS AT THE JUBILEE .
GAME 1 IT WAS SUBSTUITED FOR 10 AM AS IT WAS WET :
Dundas 1 took on Mokarow Farms at High noon and it was still a very cool day but Dundas 2 led by Cable Magness came out on fire against the finalist of last tournament jumping out to an early 5 goal lead as Fastetta and group poured it on and held on from a huge last 1/2 charge to finish ahead by 2 or 3 .
Game 2 delayed until 2 pm saw Dundas 1 and Klentner Ranch match up and looked like the same as Game one as Dundas jumped out to an early 5 to 1 lead finishing chukkar 1 at 5 to 2 but by 1/2 time KR had reached the 1/2 time at a time and never lost the lead again as Dundas kept it close but never passed and finished down by 2
Game 3 that was on time at the SBPC polo was an unusal results did not see it as we were at Estrallia but Farmers & Merchants must have had a very good breakfast as they took on Harry’s team without him as he was across the pond with the Jubilee subbing for him was one of Canada’s if not the best Canadian women players Dayle Fergy and they found them in a hot spot winning in overtime against Farmers and Merchants a wake up call for 2 of the biggest stars in town two 16 yr old guns from south America young Kekeo Magrini and Juan Guerroero who look like 2 headed to 10 goal area very soon .
game 4 was Antelope vs FMB 2 and it was a bit of a surprise as Henry Walker and Will Busch showe why they are here as they mastered a big win over the finalist of Young Grant Palme who has been in the mix of all of the earlier tournaments but not there on a cold day in June in SB.
The second round gets underway on Sunday with morning games
at SBPC sees the 2 FMB teams hooking up FMB and FMB/Folded Hills at 10 and
Game 2 a Estrella has Dundas 1 taking on Los Padres/Citi at at 12 noon as well
Game 3 has Dundas 2 taking on Klentner Ranch both without a loss at 2 pm
game 4 the feature at SBPC at 4 pm sees 2 big guns with surprise losses in the first round
Mokarow farms and Antelope heading for a win
cya on Sunday the Royalty will not be here but 5000 others will be, cu there
On a day we should all remember, as a lot of Men And Women made it possible for us to be here today enjoying life like we do. They are not here but they did it, stop for a moment and think about them.
The Polo Game
It was a fun and speedy game; a little whistle happy early, as I think there were 7 fouls in 7 minutes of the first chukar during which LP went up 4 to 1. The second was much better and had some speed as LP won this one 3 to 2, going into the 3rd up 7 to 3. Outstanding plays by Keko Magrini kept LP rocking, and they went into 1/2 time up 9 to 4. It was getting a little lopsided–LP was controlling the throw ins as Harry seems to have a knack of catching them and turning it over to Keko. They were ahead 9 to 3 on throw inns and were winning 9 to 4 at half time, with the fouls down to 4 in the 3rd.
But you have a couple of very tough and good Canadians in the Stenzels and they know no fear, and came roaring back in the fourth, getting lots of room for big stick Facundo. The war was on and they came out of the 4th chukar winning 4 to 2, with a score of 8 to 11, down by 3. The fifth was a big run for LP, as young Juan Guerrero saved so many plays and got it to Harry and Nacho time and time again. LP galloped into the 6th with a a 14 to 9 lead, but Mokarow Farms was far from finished. They came to play and in the 6th it was all White, as Mokarow Farms said this is it, and boy did they come alive. A penalty 1 early in the 6th helped, but so did winning 5 throw ins and scoring 5 goals in 7 minutes. Lucky for LP, they got 2 throw ins and goals themselves, making it a total of 7 goal scored in the 6th chukkar and to overtime they went!
With a whole new game in overtime, Harry got a piece of the ball, but was blocked out by Mokarow, who were on the offense. Juan G stopped a missile to turn it around, and got it to Keko who smoked it to Nacho and the rest is History. NACHO made it 15 to 14, winning the finals. I am sure LISLE WOULD HAVE ENJOYED THIS GAME.
Los Padres/Citi are the champions. Nacho Figueras is MVP and Prince Harry had best playing Pony for an Amateur. Santa Barbara had the best crowd ever in a 12 goal thanks to Prince Harry and Nacho. They make it work and they played POLO.
I have been in Polo since 1973, and it is amazing who, what, and where has been since then. I was in Boca then Royal Palm Polo, the only high goal there. I was a groom along with several farm and ranch boys from the West and the rest were from stables in the NorthEast, like George, Harvey, JJ , Rodney, Jimmy, Danny and many others. About 1980 we started to have a lot of English ladies come over and take over like Violet, Jill, Carolyn , Betsy and many others. They were much better at keeping up stables and grooming than us. That lasted another 10 years, taking us into the new century. Around then there was a huge inflow of Mexican and Cuban grooms, and some from Puerto Rico and the Dominion Republic. About 15 years later though we started to see a lot of Argentine grooms, as we gathered many more Argentine pros and very seasoned ones. Today we see probably 60% of grooms Argentine. But the biggest change I see in grooms is that today probably 80% of them do not take care of more than 5 horses, and could not tell what a bowed tendon looks like. And yet horses cost 50 times what they did even as early as in 2000. Until this new era, old grooms had at least 8 horses. We wonder why it cost so much for horses. It’s sort of like race horses–all the bullshit about breeding and Super Horses, computers and analysis, and yet no one has broken Secretariat’s record set in 1973 for the Kentucky Derby. All polo horses played a chukkar and all pros brought no more than 8 horses ((( WHY ))) ? Read Javier Tanoria’s theroy
The 10 am saw Dundas taking on FMB, which was not expected to be close. Well it was not only close, but ended up the opposite as expected as FMB came out fast and stayed there, shutting down the high powered offense of Dundas. They closed it with a miracle, as Dundas missed a #3 with 11 seconds on the board. So they head to the finals of the Dean Mullins Cup.
12 noon saw Dundas 2 taking on Klentner Ranch in a weird affair, as Dundas jumped out to a 3 – 0 lead. Here came KR though, who went up by 3, only to have Cable Magness and squad come right back with Fasstetta and Westley Bryan, smoking it with Santi and grabbing the W. They’ll be headed to the finals against FMB at high noon Sunday.
2 o’clock was a big one as Los Padres/Citi took on FMB2/Folded Hills, and it looked like a wipeout as FMB/FH roared out to a 5 to 1 lead. But it’s never over until the fat Lady sings, and Harry and Nacho who have been to 3 out of 4 finals, never find a reason to quit. Along with teenage Monster Keko, who has no idea what it means to lose, they’ll be headed to their 4th Final. Harry and Nacho aren’t here to ride around, they’re here to make it happen. And I must say the the Royalty is making Santa Barbara a very popular place without a doubt .
4 o’clock was a perfect mirror image of the 2 o’clock. Antelope was smoking Mokarow Farm, but the latter saw the same fate as FMB2. A big lead means very little sometimes and today proved that, as MF down 4 to 0 in the 2nd, just started getting breaks and rolling. Facundo was the star, but just like Keko, he had some amazing help. The soldiers were fighting, and the Stenzel brothers play Polo like Hockey–they give nothing away and take it to the goal, so Facundo never worries when they come, he just gets set for it. They believe in man and ball, in that order.
Sunday’s final on a 3 day weekend should be like the PCO finals with Harry, the Royalty, Nacho, Mr. Polo, and 2 hungry boys, versus a couple of Canuks, who know how to play, and Captain F. Obregon, who was a finalist in US OPEN a month ago. BE THERE–5000 OTHER PEOPLE WILL BE .
At 10 AM Dundas 1 should blow FMB away, however, it is Polo and it’s not over until the fat Lady sings. Dan Walker may not play, but it won’t make much of a difference since DW who may be 60+ is tougher than any 20 yr old on the field and always a threat.
12pm Dundas 2 takes on Klentner Ranch. 3 Klentners and Jessie Bray, one of the best in the USA, but does he have the help needed to win. The 3 Ks are all well worth their rating, but it will be interesting to see if they can pull it out. Dundas 2, led by up and coming Cable Magness and 3 very good pros, could make it a battle, but it is POLO so nobody knows.
The 2 o’clock, well it will be good. You’ve got 3 amateurs on the field, and not one is overrated. Folded Hills has semi new comer Will Busch who is underrated and shows it everyday (and a very nice young man I must add). Henry Walker, who at 60+ must be the second toughest player on earth, just behind Danny. Across from FM2/FH is a newcomer for SBPC. They sport the name Los Padres/ Citi and have some young guns and a steady man known as the Face of polo, Nacho Figueras– who has been playing very well with Young Keko Magrini and Juan Guerro. But the real ace on this team is a hard riding Brit named Harry. Oh yes, he’s a Prince, but also a very nice man and a dang good polo player. They’ve been in both finals this year, and have 1 under their belt. This should be a very good game.
The 4 o’clock feature Friday game sees 2 of the top teams here this year facing off. As a usually strong team, Antelope brings power to the field again with Grant Palmer, who’s playing very well, and a very strong #2 named Santi Liavalol. They may have picked up one finals for themselves, but they will have to hustle tomorrow for number 2, as Mokarow Farms has become a force to be reckoned with. They came in kind of soft, but have been on a tear for a couple of weeks, winning the consolation tournament and becoming undefeated in bracket play. Their power center is Facundo Obregon, but the speed and work comes from the Stenzel Brothers Rob and Brendon, who will take on anybody and usual win.
They come from Canada most of them and it must have felt like home as the Stenzel brothers had no problem getting to high speeds early as they blew away to an early lead over Dundas and held on to keep it a 3 goal victory it was cold and a slight breeze and so was Dundas they made a move to within 2 in the 6 th but Facundo Obregon said enough and quickly kept it going and away they went to finish up by 3 and move into the semis .
game 2 was a lot tighter as Dundas 2 took on Antelope with Young Grant Palmer showing his spark with some blazing speed at times and it was a good one as Young Cable Magness got the team in yellow out to a 3 goal lead but here comes the Antelope and for next 5 chukkars could have went either way but it was father time Santi Trotz slaming the door shut late in the 6th to send the prong horns into the Semis as well.
game 3 saw a FMB matchup between the Walker Brothers as FMB 2 /Folded Hills with Will Busch having a very good game rode off with a win and also a spot in the semis now we wait for aa shootout to see who goes to the 4th spot I think as
Game 4 was an exhibition game due to a problem here with Klentner Ranch team as Nacho and Harry did a job on them in exhibition in front of a huge crowd out to see the Royal family’s Son show he is a Polo player just like Pop a decade or two ago both semis will be on Friday so see you there .
Anyone looking for something nice on West Coast let us know Land – Horses – holidays or a very fancy polo place we can help
The Lisle Nixon started today at 10 AM and was it a shocker, as the face of Polo and Harry got a surprise, as they met up with some Canadians who have had very little success so far this season. Harry and Nacho have been to every finals so far, but the father/son combo of Rob Brendon Stenzel warmed up from the Canadian Winter on a cool day in SB, and they were on fire along with Facundo Obregon, a finalist in the US Open. Together they put a genuine wake up call on everyone, as they won by many over the Big Boys of Los Padres.
Game 2 saw FMB2 coming back from a few down times, with Will Busch showing he is a Busch and you shouldn’t forget it, as he played way above his handicap. Along side Henry Walker, who despite a penalty box stop, just kept on coming, they eked out a win against a solid Dundas 2 team.
Game 3, well, there wasn’t one, because Klentner Ranch had to forfeit due to a horse they have tested positive of a very dangerous disease this morning– which should get everyone’s attention as this is a very deadly disease and no one should think different. It may not be the case, but it initially tested positive and that is a problem, so why take the chance. In 3 days we will have the answer. IF at the club, play on, if not, stay out until we know: simple as that. Why take the chance!!
Game 4 went on as scheduled and Antelope kept it moving, as Grant Palmer, like Pop, loves the W’s and he got it . Check the schedules for Sunday–they should change . HOPEFULLY
There are lots of things to do around town and some very interesting properties for anyone who wants to move to the Gold Coast, or paradise .
On finals Sunday at the Santa Barbara Polo Club, it was all there: practice, tournament, finals and lots of people. The morning started with lots of action as the beaten tried to improve and the young tried to learn. At high noon, the wars started as the consolation tournament, called the Western Badge–after the trophy shop that’s supported SB Polo for close to a century– sent two very even teams to the finals. Klentner Ranch took on another group of cowboys out of Dallas called Mokarow Farms, who took the trophy back home to Dallas, after a close one in OT.
The big finals was the Folded Hills/Pope Challenge with the face of polo Nacho Figureas and Prince Harry. And it was a damn right good and very fast game. One one side, you had Nacho and Harry and a speedball named Keko Magrini, who lets ’em run all day long and likes the ball anywhere within 52 inches. On the other, hard-riding Sarah Magness and powerball Geronimo, “chief of the Cherokees,” with some major speed in Roberto Zeda and a hard charging dribbler named Juan Cruz. It was a very good finals Los Padres/Citi with the Royalty Versus Dundas 1 . They met a week ago in round robin play and Dundas gave them their first loss of the season. Today it started bad for Dundas, as L.P./Citi blew out to a 6 to 4 lead in the second and went up by 3 early in the 3rd. Dundas came roaring back to go up by 1, with most of the goals by Juan Cruz, only to have Keko tie it up at the end of the first 1/2 with a major play of speed. The 4th was all Dundas, but L.P./citi came right back early in the 5th to put them within a goal. And just as in the 4th, it ended in a tie, as Los Padres’ Harry made it 13 to 13, with no time on the clock. The 6th, though, worked out for Dundas with the help of 2 open goals, and ended with the trophy in their hands. Chief Geronimo was crowned MVP and Zeda’s mare best playing pony (no name mentioned) .
A very good game with lots of speed and action . The next tournament starts Friday, most likely at 10 am, with 4 games so come on out! The 4 o’clock is Party time.
On a sad note, I’m sorry to say George Conkright passed away, who was a Kentucky Boy that made it big in Cali in development and leaves behind his Lovely wife Jana.
Last week we had 9 teams, 2 tournaments in 2 days.
The face of Polo, Nacho Figueras, showed the reason he is just that as he and Prince Harry along with young Kekeo Magrini, dominated the match against Klentner Ranch. In the second finals, it was a new, young Palmer, AS IN GRANT, showing his Dad’s old winning ways along side Santi, as Antelope loped away and showed why they are here. It will be a game when Magrini and them tangle–there is nothing, but SPEED.
Yesterday, in tournament 2, it was opening day and at 10 AM it was Antelope continuing to dominate as they beat FMB2 again, though this time by 1 not 7. And in game 2 it was young Cable Magness and Dundas Two putting a rout on FMB, as they galloped off to a big win. 2 o’clock saw Dundas One down by 4 at half time, but they got smoking in the 4th, scoring 5 goals in one chukkar, and putting a W against Klentner Ranch. The feature 4 o’clock game saw Los Padres/Citi’s Nacho and Harry roll away to an easy win over Texan/Canadian Mokkarow Ranch to finish the day.
In other news, looking for a place to own and play year around? We just might be able to head you the right direction right here on the Gold Coast of California with these 4 incredible properties:
-A 10 acre, awesome house and stabling right next door to a Polo mecca .
-A 2 field, 100-horse stabling, amazing property–with pastures, track, polo fields, and an ocean view, maybe unmatched in the USA .
-A magnificent property with a million dollar barn, incredible polo field, tennis and bocce ball court, and an unbelievable estate all in one, not to mention a gorgeous waterfall and the only entertaining area you would ever need.
-Also a 200 acre ranch and polo field, with stabling for 120 horses, and track and pastures, as well as a lot of housing and underground irrigation. Just walk in and play polo! And use the turn out pastures in the off season. All only 300 yards from the Pacific Ocean and 130 feet above it . Just email me and I’ll give you the facts, or call 805 896 4406 .
Sun, Jun 5, 10:42 PM (20 hours ago)
internationalpoloconnection.com 